Foot treadles



' Sept. 17, 1963 H. E. ALTHENS ETAL 3,103,905

FOOT TREADLES Eiied Jan. 11, 191 :s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS HERBERT E. ALTHENS HENRY C. FRENCH FRANKLIN A. REECE, DECEASED BY FRANKLIN A. REECE, JR.

JOHN B. REECE CO-EXECUTORS WALTER D. BROOKS, Jr.

ATTNEY Sept. 17, 1963 H. E. ALTHENS ETAL I 3,103,905

FOOT TREADLES Filed Jan. 11, 1962 3 Sheetsr-Sheet 2 INVENTORS HERBERT E. ALTHENS HENRY C. FRENCH FRANKLIN A REECE, DECEASED BY FRANKLIN A. REECE, JR.

26 22 JOHN B. REECE OEXECUTORS WALTER D./BROOKS, Jr.

FIG. 5 y W ATTNEY p 17, 1963 H. E. ALTHENS ETAL 3,103,905

FOOT TREADLES Filed Jan. 11, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 10 INVENTORS HERBERT E. ALTHENS 7 EE'AI'TJYKSN T cz, DECEASED BY FRANKLIN A. REECE, JR.

JOHN B. REECE O-EXECUTORS WALTER D. BROOKS, Jr.

W dull 4A ATT NEY United States Patent 3,103,905 F001 TREADLES Herbert E. Althens, Auburndale, Henry C. French, West Acton, and Franklin A. Reece, deceased, late of (inertnut Hiil, Mass, by Franklin A. Reece, in, Milton, John E. Reece, Needham, and Walter D. Brooks, in, Bedham, Mass, ctr-executors, assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Reece Corporation, Waltham, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Jan. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 165,705 6 Claims. (Cl. 112219) This invention relates to a foot treadle for controlling the operation of a machine, and more particularly to a foot treadle for independently controlling a plurality of elements of the machine in predetermined timed relationship.

In the field of industrial sewing machines, such as buttonhole sewing machines, button sewing machines and the like, it is usually desirable to utilize foot treadles for controlling the work clamp and the starting of the machine so that the hands of the operator will be free for the handling and placement of the work in the machine. As times it may be necessary for the operator to clamp and unclamp the work several times before properly placing the work so that it is also preferable to provide means whereby the work clamp may be actuated independently of the starting of the machine so that the work may be properly placed and held prior to the starting of the machine. This is usually accomplished by providing two foot treadles, one which controls the work clamp and one which controls the starting of the machine.

The object of this invention is to provide a single foot treadle which can control the work clamp without starting the machine, when desired, and which will assure positive engagement of the starting means for the machine when the work has been properly placed and held by the Work clamp.

Another object is to provide a lost motion connection between the foot treadle and one of the elements which it controls, which connection will also multiply the movement of the foot treadle after the lost motion of the connection has been overcome.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view, partly broken away, of the treadle forming the subject matter of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view partly broken away and showing the treadle in its rest position;

FIGURE 3 is a. view similar to FIGURE 2 but with the treadle shown in partially depressed position;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURES 2 and 3 with the treadle in fully depressed position;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the treadle partly broken away to show the means for returning the pedal to its rest position;

FIGURE 6 is a schematic view of a circuit with which the present invention is used; and

FIGURE 7 is a plan view showing the treadle connected to one form of sewing machine.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, the foot treadle is fixedly mounted on a member 10, which member is a part of a table 6 or other supporting means for the machine 8 with which the foot treadle is to be used. The foot treadle itself is comprised of a hollowed-out bottom member 12 rigidly secured to member '10 by any suitable means and a top member 14 which overlies the bottom member 12. A rod 16 pivotally secures one end of the top member 14 to the bottom member 12 adjacent one end thereof. Mounted within the bottom member 12 is a coil spring 18 (see FIGURE 5) which extends between the bottom member 12 and the top member 14 to urge the free end of the top member 14 away from the bottom member 12.

Secured to the top edge of the bottom member 12 and extending across the bottom member 12 adjacent the end opposite that which supports the rod 16 is a plate 20. Secured to the under side of plate 20 is a switch 22 having an actuating button 24 extending upwardly through the plate 20. The button 24 is held in its upper position by means of a spring built into the switch in the conventional manner. The switch 22 is of the normally closed type, that is, when the button 24 is in its uppermost position the contacts of the switch are closed to complete the circuit with which it is used and when the button 24 is depressed the contacts of the switch are open so that the circuit is broken. The button 24 is of such a length that in all positions thereof it will extend above the plate 20.

The switch 22 forms part of the circuit which includes a second switch 26 and a solenoid 28 (see FIGURE 6). The switch 26 is mounted on the machine which is to use the circuit in such a way that one of the elements of the machine will close the switch 26 when the machine is in stop position and the element will allow the switch 26 to open whenever the machine is operating. The solenoid 28 is thus energized only when both switches 22 and 26 are closed and can be operated only when the machine is in stopped position. The plunger of the solenoid 28 would be connected to whichever element of the machine it is desired to operate independently of the starting of the machine. In the case of an automatic sewing machine this element would be the work clamp 29. The electrical leads which connect the switch 22 with the rest of the circuit pass from the bottom member 12 through the fixture 3b which is mounted on one end of the bottom member 12.

Secured to the bottom surface of the top member 14 is a leaf spring 32. Any suitable means such as a bolt 34 may be used to secure one end of the leaf spring 32 to the top member 14. The free end of the leaf spring 32 overlies the button 24 of the switch 22 and the leaf spring 32 has a strength sufi'icient to overcome the spring which urges the button 24 to its upper position. Thus, as the top member 14 is depressed, the leaf spring 32 Will press the button 24 downwardly until the button reaches the limit of its downward travel. Further movement of the top member 14 will cause the leaf spring 32 to flex whereby the button 24 and switch 22 will not be damaged. The action of the leaf spring 32 and button 24 is shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

A lever 36 is pivotally mounted on the side of the top member 14 for movement about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis about which the top member 14 moves. A

bolt 38 pivotally mounts lever 36 and the pivot point is closer to one end of the lever 36 than to the other. The longer end of the lever 36 is connected by means of a chain or rod, indicated generally as 40 to an element of the machine with which the machine is to be used. In the case of an automatic sewing machine the element 40 would be connected to the element which controls the clutch 41.

Mounted on the member adjacent to foot treadle and on the same side as lever 36 is a bolt 42 which is adjustable in height by means of nut 44. The bolt 42 is so positioned that the-shorter end of the lever 36 extends over the bolt 42. As the top member 14 is de pressed the shorter end of lever 36 will engage the bolt 42 and further movement of the top member 14 will cause the lever 36 to pivot about its pivot 38. The combination of lever 36 and bolt 42 forms with the foot treadle a lost motion linkage and a motion multiplier after the lost motion has been overcome as will be more apparent from the following description of the operation of the device.

In operation, when the machine with which the foot treadle is used is in stop position, the switches 22 and 26 are closed whereby the circuit is completed and the solenoid 28 is energized. As the upper member 1-4 is depressed, that is, moves from the position shown in FIGURE 2 to that shown in FIGURE 3, the switch 22 would be opened thereby breaking the circuit and deenergizing the solenoid 23. Thus by alternating the position of the top member 14 between the position shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 it is possible to actuate the solenoid 28 without starting the machine.

As seen in FIGURE 2 when the top member 14 is in its uppermost position the lever 36 will be in such a position that its shorter end is spaced above the bolt 42.

As the top member is depressed the lever 36 will pivot about the bolt 33 until the shorter end thereof engages bolt 42. Prior to the engagement of the lever 36 with bolt 42 the button 24 will be depressed whereby the circuit for the solenoid will be broken. Further downward movement of the top member 14 will cause the lever 36 to pivot in the opposite direction whereby the longer-end of lever 36 will move downwardly. Because of the spacing between the respective ends of the lever 36 and the pivot 38 thereof, the longer end will move downwardly at a faster rate than the top member 14. Thus lever 36 provides not only a lost motion connection whereby switch :22 may be actuated without moving the element 40 but also provides a motion multiplier for assuring positive movement of element 40 when it is desired to move the element 40.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described,

and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims. We claim: 1. In a sewing machine, a work clamp movable between a raised and a lowered position, means for raising and lowering said work clamp, driving means for said machine, clutch means for engaging and disengaging said driving means, a foot treadle, first control means for said work clamp raising and lowering means, second control means for said clutch means, means connecting said first control means to said foot treadle,

means connecting said second control means to said foot treadle,

said last named connecting means including a lost motion linkage whereby movement of said foot treadle operates said first and second control means in predetermined timed relation,

said last named connecting means including means for multiplying the rate of movement of said foot treadle when said lost-motion has been overcome.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said last named connecting means comprises a lever pivotally mounted on said foot treadle at a point olfset from the longitudinal center of said lever,

linkage connecting the longer end of said lever to said second control means,

a stop mounted in fixed position adjacent the shorter end of the lever,

to be engaged thereby.

3. In a sewing machine,

a work clamp movable between a raised and a lowered position,

spring means connected to said Work clamp urging said clamp to lowered position,

a solenoid connected to said clamp for raising said clamp upon energization of said solenoid,

driving means for said machine,

clutch means for engaging and disengaging said driving means,

means for controlling said clutch means,

a foot treadle,

mounted for pivotal movement about one end thereof,

switch means for controlling said solenoid,

said switch means being mounted for actuation by said foot treadle,

a lever mounted on said foot treadle for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of said foot treadle,

said lever being mounted at a point oifset from its center line,

a link connecting the longer end of said lever to the clutch controlling means,

a stop mounted adjacent said foot treadle and adjacent the shorter end of said lever whereby movement of the foot treadle first actuates the switch and then causes the shorter end of the lever to engage the stop whereby further movement of the foot treadle will move the longer end of the lever a greater distance than that moved by the foot treadle.

4. A foot treadle for controlling two elements of a machine in predetermined timed relationship comprising,

a pedal pivotally mounted adjacent one end for movement about a horizontal axis,

switch means connected to one of the elements of the machine and mounted in fixed position so as to be constantly in engagement with said pedal,

a lever pivotally mounted on said pedal for movement about an axis parallel to said pedal axis,

a stop member mounted in fixed position adjacent one end of said lever to be engaged by the lever where said pedal is depressed,

and a link connecting the other end of the lever to the other element of the machine.

5. A foot treadle for controlling two separate elements comprising,

a pedal pivotally mounted for movement about a horizontal axis,

a first element mounted in position adjacent said pedal and engageable thereby,

a second element mounted in position at a distance from said pedal,

linkage connecting said pedal to said second element, said linkage including a lost motion and a motion multiplying means whereby initial motion of said pedal will move said first element and further movement of said pedal will move the linkage at a faster rate than the movement of said pedal to actuate said second element.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said linkage comprises a lever pivotally mounted on said pedal,

said lever pivoting about an axis parallel to the axis of movement of the pedal,

a chain connecting one end of said lever to said second element,

a stop member mounted in fixed position adjacent the other end of said lever,

said other end of said lever engaging said stop member after the initial movement of each pedal.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,604,864 Merchant July 29, 1952 2,708,415 White May 17, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 953,032 Germany Nov. 22, 1956 

1. IN A SEWING MACHINE, A WORK CLAMP MOVABLE BETWEEN A RAISED AND A LOWERED POSITION, MEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING SAID WORK CLAMP, DRIVING MEANS FOR SAID MACHINE, CLUTCH MEANS FOR ENGAGING AND DISENGAGING SAID DRIVING MEANS, A FOOT TREADLE, FIRST CONTROL MEANS FOR SAID WORK CLAMP RAISING AND LOWERING MEANS, SECOND CONTROL MEANS FOR SAID CLUTCH MEANS, MEANS CONNECTING SAID FIRST CONTROL MEANS TO SAID FOOT TREADLE, MEANS CONNECTING SAID SECOND CONTROL MEANS TO SAID FOOT TREADLE, SAID LAST NAMED CONNECTING MEANS INCLUDING A LOST MOTION LINKAGE WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID FOOT TREADLE OPERATES SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONTROL MEANS IN PREDETERMINED TIMED RELATION, SAID LAST NAMED CONNECTING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR MULTIPLYING THE RATE OF MOVEMENT OF SAID FOOT TREADLE WHEN SAID LOST-MOTION HAS BEEN OVERCOME. 